Trump Discussed China-Taiwan Situation in Meeting with Abe’s Widow, Described Calling For Immediate End to War in Zelenskyy Talks

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:37 JST, December 22, 2024

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump reportedly discussed the security environment surrounding China and Taiwan when he met with Akie Abe, the widow of late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, earlier this month.

According to sources, Trump said during the meeting, with a Taiwan contingency in mind, that China and Taiwan are a major issue for world peace. This indicated his administration’s stance of placing importance on dealing with the situation in Taiwan.

Trump and his wife Melania invited Abe to dinner at their Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Dec. 15. Trump and Abe talked about their memories of Shinzo Abe, and the conversation also touched on global affairs, including Taiwan.

During the dinner, Trump reiterated his willingness to negotiate a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. The president-elect also talked about how he called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to bring an immediate halt to the war during his meeting with Zelenskyy in Paris in early this month.

It has become known that Trump handwrote the word “PEACE” in a book of photos he gave Abe as a present for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

China is increasing its military pressure on Taiwan, and both the Japanese and U.S. governments are growing increasingly wary of the possibility of a contingency in Taiwan. At meetings between former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden, the two leaders have reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Whether Ishiba and Trump will be able to share the same understanding of the situation in Taiwan will be a focus of attention from now on.

Trump has notified the Japanese side that he would be available for a meeting with the prime minister in mid-January, before his inauguration on Jan. 20.